One of the things that drew us to our house was the wooded section of the yard. It is only about a third of an acre, but it provides a nice break from the neighbors and the street.
We didn’t notice the vines until spring when their leaves were out, and they were actively making their way up the trunks and branches. The older vines, already settled into the tree tops, sprouted new leaves and pressed down on the smaller branches that were growing there.
We don’t really have anything against vines. They can enhance the landscape and look nice trailing up a trellis or fence. But left unchecked certain vines become invasive. The vines that cover trees and bushes can eventually kill them.
We started fighting the vines that sprawled across the tops of the trees last spring and continued into the fall, using a chain saw to cut through the vine’s tree branch-sized roots that wound across the yard.
After the green leaves of the vines at the top of a 30-foot tree turned brown, we spent many hours pulling vines from tree trunks, branches, and bushes. Many of the vines twisted through the branches so much that they wouldn’t budge. But, we felt we’d made progress, and we could finish them off in the spring. We were wrong!
Walking through the woods in the spring, we cut several of the large vine roots. Then spring soon became summer, and the vines continued to grow. A spray we used should have killed the new vines that sprouted, but the progress was slow.
The chemical was supposed to kill MANY types based on the label. However, we really didn’t know what vines we had and assumed it would work on them. We also thought cutting through sections of the roots would kill them. We needed to determine exactly what type of vines we were fighting to win the battle.
Our vine samples revealed five different varieties of vines on our property. And not all respond the same to herbicides. Or the same technique.
Types of vines identified
Virginia Creeper
This was the first vine we successfully removed from a small cluster of trees. It was also the vine that got us started on our quest to rid our property of invasive vines.
The creeper uses tendrils to attach itself to the bark of trees and can climb as high as 50 feet. Its leaves, comprised of five leaflets, change from summer green into a fall foliage color ranging from reddish-orange to burgundy.
This is a pretty vine and is often seen attached to the fronts of brick homes, climbing up the chimney. It also blocks the sun from shining on the leaves of its host tree. So, it had to go.
Last summer, we cut the vine at the base of the trees and any roots that were found on the ground in the cluster. Throughout the summer, every time a vine started to grow, it was cut off, reducing the need for chemicals. And the deep roots were dug out of the ground. This was a small cluster of trees surrounded by lawn, but it was enough to turn our attention to the other trees in the thick, overgrown area of the yard.
The creeper has not returned to that cluster. However, we’ve pulled several small vines that started to grow on other trees. The Virginia creeper was under control.
Wild grapevine
There are hundreds of varieties of wild grapevine, so finding the exact variety growing on our property was futile. We were able to identify two varieties based on the leaves.
The vines grow up and around trees, attempting to get closer to the sun. This frequently results in the death of trees such as oak and cottonwood, as the vine saps nutrients and blocks sunlight.
The grapevine on our property did not produce fruit, so we are spared the insect that thrives on the wild grapes, the western grape leaf skeletonizer. Sounds scary, doesn’t it? Luckily research indicated that it is found more in the southwestern part of the United States.
Wild grapevines can be controlled by cutting the vines and roots and applying herbicides, such as Roundup. Roundup can be used to kill the young shoots if sprayed on the leaves early in the spring growing season. It will stunt the growth of leaves and shoots which will eventually kill the vine.
Herbicides work faster if applied to a fresh-cut grapevine stump in the early spring, around March. If applied in late spring or midsummer when vines are actively growing, the flowing sap won’t allow the chemical to penetrate the stump to kill it. That’s where we went wrong. The leaves were sprayed late last summer, and we didn’t check the growth until early this summer.
We did, however, cut many vines in the spring. And we had learned to cut them in at least two places.
This root stump was cut but not treated. So, LOTS of runners grew. They appear to be racing for the nearest tree. Next time, we’ll be sure to apply a herbicide when cutting the roots.
Another trick is to cover the stumps with black plastic or thick mulch after applying the herbicide. Turns out they are intolerant of shade, and the sprouts will die if they don’t get adequate sun.
Honeysuckle
We have both honeysuckle vines and bushes. For now, we’re working on getting the vines under control and will address the bushes later.
It appears we have the Japanese Honeysuckle vine. This is a very aggressive fast growing vine that overpowers other vegetation with above-ground runners and underground rhizomes.
This weedy twinning vine grows up to 30 feet in length, moving from branch to branch and tree to tree, choking out shrubs and small trees. It’s even covering the honeysuckle bushes that grow near it.
The flowers are fragrant and range in color from creamy white to yellow. When they’re blooming, it’s pretty and smells great. Then, we pull on a vine and see how much of a small tree it is covering.
We’ve sprayed the honeysuckle, cut the honeysuckle, and pulled it out of trees and bushes. But it keeps coming back.
The Missouri Department of Conservation website indicates that burning is effective in reducing Japanese honeysuckle, however, we won’t go that route in our yard.
Cutting the vines and treating them with Roundup is the other recommended treatment. Apply it in the fall, after surrounding vegetation has become dormant, but before a hard freeze. Again, spraying during the growing season is not the best method.
Which is why we still have so much of this vine growing in the yard. Another one to add to the list for the fall or early spring.
Bristly Greenbrier
Also known as smilax tamnoids, bristly greenbrier grows straight up and sends out tendrils to attach to nearby bushes and trees. It also has some very mean thorns that can be up to ½ inch long on a mature plant.
Greenbriers are numerous and are spread throughout the Midwest. They can grow about 12 feet tall, with a spread of 6 feet. This is a native plant and is not considered invasive. They are a cover for Bobwhites, which love to feed on their berries and they’re a treat for people that like to eat them. Apparently greenbrier can be used as a vegetable, eaten cooked, raw or pickled. You can put it in a soup, make flour from the stem or boil it up for a jelly. There are several recipes in a book of wild edible plants in Missouri. Here is the link if you are interested in doing trying some. Wild Edibles in Missouri.
We have no plan to eat it. We just want to control it because those thorns really hurt.
Greenbrier doesn’t respond well to the chemicals. One suggestion we found was to dig the root out. This would cause us to tear up a good portion of that area. So we keep looking and found an option that was considered the most effective way to keep it under control and out of shrubs and trees.
It requires pruning it back to the ground as often as possible to wear it out. It works because the plant needs a lot of light to survive. Keeping the vine cut back to the ground will cause the roots to draw down the reserves in the root system. The smaller vines can be controlled more quickly. The suggestion is to cut it the plant back in the fall or winter since it does not die completely and will be easier to find. Then, cut it back to the ground again in the spring when it begins growing and again in July or August. We’ll be trying to cut it back to the ground every chance we get.
Honey Vine/Sand Vine
This vine goes by several names. The scientific name is Cynanchum laeve. Commonly known as Sand Vine, Climbing Milkweed (though it’s not really a milkweed), and Honey Vine. We like Honey Vine because the flowers smell sweet, like honeysuckle.
The Honey Vine, a native Missouri plant, is an aggressive perennial climber that covers fences, shrubs, and in our yard, yucca plants. The flowers are in round clusters on stalks from the stems. The tiny white flowers bloom July to September.
The flowers attract butterflies, bees, wasps, and other nectar drinkers. This may be what attracts the hummingbird we sometimes see zipping around. Clusters of yellow-orange aphids will also drink sap from the stems. They draw ladybugs, green lacewings, and other aphid eaters. Many of these insects become food for birds, spiders, and more.
The vine develops large seed pods in late summer. The seeds are attached to tufts of white, silky hairs and are released from the pods in late winter or early spring to spread and grow wherever they land. Which is what makes this native plant somewhat invasive, depending on where it lands and what control is used.
Since the honey vine is not growing in the wooded area and is twinning around the yucca plants, we are going to leave it alone for now. The yuccas in that area have become numerous, and we are trying to thin them out. Eventually, we will do some landscaping there and remove them completely. Until then, the honey vine can twine around them and attract nectar eaters. Except for the ants. Please don’t attract more ants.
A good app for determining plant identification is Pl@ntNET. It is free, and you take a picture of the plant and upload it. It was very helpful in determining some of the vines.
If you see an incorrect identification on one of the vines, please let us know in the comments. A lot of searching was done to be sure they were identified correctly, however, mistakes can happen. If you have invasive vines on your property, we hope this post provided some helpful information. Please let us know if you try any of the tips.